PUTRAJAYA: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) will offer Bahasa Melayu courses beginning January to Members of Parliament wishing to improve their proficiency in the national language.
Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said all MPs are encouraged to sit for the DBP courses, which will also be offered to foreign envoys in the country.
Maszlee, who made the announcement at a press conference on the appointment of Kuala Lumpur as World Book Capital for 2020 by Unesco, said the decision to offer the courses was made following PKR president-elect Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s call for MPs to spruce up their Bahasa Melayu.
During a lecture at DBP on Monday, the prime-minister-in-waiting had chided leaders and MPs who have not made the effort to master the language.
He said that as Parliamentary proceedings are in Bahasa Melayu, proficiency in the language is crucial.
DBP board of governors chairman Mohamed Hatta Shaharom said the MPs can voluntarily sign up for the courses.
However, for those who are deemed to need extra coaching in the language, a gentle reminder will be sent to them through the Dewan Rakyat Speaker.
“This effort is taken merely to improve language proficiency. We are not pointing fingers at anyone.
“(And) as Datuk Seri (Anwar) noted, the Bahasa Melayu proficiency of (many) non-Malay MPs is better than those whose mother tongue is Bahasa Melayu.
“(Still), it is voluntary,” he added.
Mohamed Hatta said DBP is currently preparing two modules for MPs – basic and advanced.
“The language courses will be held at the DBP.
“However, we also don’t mind sending our officers to Parliament to conduct the courses to cater to the convenience of the MPs,” he added.
Mohamed Hatta said the move will set an example to all Malaysians whose command of the national tongue is weak.